BERKBIKES15_00003_LKM.JPG Longtime Berkeley resident Harlan Head stands with his van. The van's windshield was shattered Friday night when Head and his wife were surrounded in the vehicle by Critical Mass riders during their ride in Berkeley. Head hopes the Berkeley City Council will be able to come up with rules for the ride that will be both agreeable to motorists and Critical Mass riders. "Streets are a limited asset and we need to share them," Head said. (Laura Morton/Special to the Chronicle)

Photo: Laura Morton

BERKBIKES15_00003_LKM.JPG Longtime Berkeley resident Harlan Head...

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Jason Meggs captured on video the altercation during the Critical Mass ride in Berkeley on Friday, May 11, 2007.
(Note: this is not the camera which he captured the video).
Photo taken on 5/14/07 in Berkeley, CA.
Photo by Lea Suzuki/ The Chronicle
()cq MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SF CHRONICLE/NO SALES-MAGS OUT.

Photo: Lea Suzuki

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Jason Meggs captured on video the...

BERKELEY / Accounts clash on Friday's row with bikes, van / Driver and riders accuse each other of provoking the fight

A Friday clash between a Berkeley minivan and Critical Mass bicyclists continued to generate conflict Monday as the van driver said the bicyclists placed bicycles under his front tire during the violent melee.

"A certain number of the bicyclists were prepared to do this with malice aforethought," said Harlan Head, 70, driver of the Chevrolet minivan. "They shoved bicycles under the car and attempted several other things."

Critical Mass organizer Jason Meggs, 38, who filmed part of the incident (see video) on his digital camera, called Head's accusation "outrageously ridiculous."

"It's really, really, really not true," said Meggs, a UC Berkeley graduate student in public health and in urban planning who filmed part of the confrontation on his digital camera. "It's really a great leap of faith that anyone would have that kind of conspiracy theory."

Police said two witnesses reported seeing riders throw their bikes in front of the van.

The incident happened around 8 p.m. Friday, when about 30 bicyclists were riding south on The Alameda and collided with Head, who with his wife, Marilyn, was driving west on Monterey Avenue to visit their disabled daughter across town.

Police have not determined who had the right of way at the intersection.

The cyclists said Head shouted, "I'm sick of you people," and attempted to run them over.

Head said the cyclists surrounded his van, tried to knock it over, broke the windshield wiper, kicked in the windshield, broke the door and stuck bicycles under his tire.

Meggs said that Head drove into the riders, wielded a "knife-like" garden tool and attempted to run them over.

"We were terrified we were going to be crushed," Meggs said. "We might have grabbed at the vehicle, but that's what you do if you're scared you're being killed."

Two bicyclists suffered bruises and cuts on their legs, and three bicycles, valued at $3,000, were destroyed, Meggs said.

Berkeley police are continuing to investigate the incident but have not made any arrests, said Lt. Wes Hester.

Head, a retired engineer and active member of Sycamore Congregational Church in El Cerrito, said he'd also like guidance from the City Council, so incidents like Friday's can be avoided.

Head said he'd like to see a constructive outcome of the dispute through negotiation.

"We need to negotiate an agreement on how cars, bicycles, buses, trucks, pedestrians can all share the roads," he said. "This outpouring of animosity is simply inappropriate."

The incident echoed a similar confrontation at San Francisco's Critical Mass ride March 30, in which cyclists surrounded a minivan and smashed a window after the driver allegedly hit one of the cyclists.